To Nargothrond
by Raurenkili
Summary: Glorfindel and Falandir are travelling to the Elven-Kingdom of Nargothrond, but what they don't know is, Sauron under Melkor is tracking them. Follow them in this sequel to "The Loss of Felagund". R&R! [Semi-AU] [Glorfindel/OC]


**I am the author, and you shall know that if you like my characters, I shall still do with them what I want, and take them withersoever I will it, Mwohahaha. _Raurenkili**

**Glorfindel and Falandir are travelling to Nargothrond, what they don't know is, a small army of Orcs is watching them. **

**Name guide: Falandir (Fallan-deer) Geldir (Gell-deer) Taran (Tuh-ran) Alaye (ah-lie) Arandwe (Uh-ran-dwey) Enwe (enn-wey)**

**_To Nargothrond_** ****

"Glorfindel, my legs hurt," Falandir complained to her partner riding alongside her.

"I know," he replied, "my legs ache as well." This was not an ordinary thing, since they were in fact powerful Noldor of themselves. They had been riding for six days straight, and that is even tiring for an Elf. They knew that they needed to stop for camp, but Celeborn had told them not to stop if they could help it. Lately there had been a sense of danger in the air, but even their Elven horses were tiring. Falandir reached down and caressed her horse, Foralaye, whispering Elvish words to soothe it. Glorfindel did the same, only with less effect; the tired horse threw its head rather defiantly and slowed down, causing a grin from one of the other Elves. They were travelling with five guardian companions, Alaye, Enwe, Arandwe, Taran, and Geldir, sent by Galadriel and Celeborn to protect them on the long road from Doriath to Nargothrond. Early on the journey, they had passed Amon-rudh far to the north, it was almost too far away to see, shrouded in mist, but the Elves marked it. They were following the ancient south road, leading to Nargothrond, and they were now less than a day and a half away from the gates.

*********************************** (Glorfindel)

Glorfindel dismounted his horse and tethered it to a stake in the ground, it was three hours later that they had made their camp, it was a very small camp, consisting of blankets laid on the ground, circling a small wood fire. This was all they had packed, for they didn't expect to stop much. Their company numbered seven, and five of the blankets soon held sleeping Elves. The lookout, Alaye, and Glorfindel were the only elves still awake. They sat motionless, and in the darkness, all but the keen eyes of Elves would have missed them. Glorfindel sat beside Falandir, watching her sleep. Her open eyes glittered in the starlight. He thought about Gondolin, his home, and was suddenly overwhelmed with love for her, wanting to ask her hand right then and there, but nay, that was a foolish thought he mused, for Celeborn was far away. But he could stay awake no longer. He sank to his blanket, sleep overtaking him.

It had only been an hour when Glorfindel woke. Alaye, who was still on the watch, looked concerned, he motioned for Glorfindel to wake Falandir, while he woke the others.

******************************** (Falandir)

Falandir woke, and met with the eyes of Glorfindel, he looked concerned, and loving at the same time, she sat up, and saw that all the other Elves were circling around Alaye, packing their bags as they went. She sat up, beginning to roll her blanket,

"man neitha?"(What is wrong?) She asked. Alaye began to speak, In Elvish of course, but this is how it went.

"I've seen an Orcish lookout, I believe that there is a small army not a league behind us, we should ride at once. We are nearing the Talath Dirnen, and there no Orc would dare to come." "They have been on our trail for three days. I think their intent, (and here he lowered his voice) is you, my lady," He nodded toward Falandir.

"Strange," spoke Glorfindel, "For Orcs to come so close to the borders, the Elves of Nargothrond are ever watchful over the Guarded plain, what would draw them so close?"

"Orcs are ever bolder, the days are dark."

Glorfindel's face suddenly brightened, "Alaye," he said,

"Yes my lord?" Alaye responded,

"I now appoint you Falandir's shield bearer and protector. Do you accept this task?"

"Yes my lord!" Alaye said.

"We move!" Glorfindel commanded. The elves swiftly untied their horses and mounted; Alaye stooped before Foralaye and cupped his hands so she could mount.

"Hannon le" she said, Alaye nodded rather happily, and went to his own horse.

********************************** (Alaye) Hannon le=Thank you

They started off at a good pace, two hours before the sun would rise. They were now a little more than half a day from Nargothrond, Falandir rode at the front, Alaye at her side, bearing her Noldorin shield. His lookout skills were now trained on the outside of the company, making sure that nothing unwanted came near her. Lady Ellethae was certainly not young, and could defend herself well, but the Noldor fancied to call her so, being the youngest and newest Elf of Finwe's line. They always protected her as a youngling, though she was noble, and of great bearing, her 500 years paled in comparison to their eldest. She was born in Valinor, long after the unchaining of Melkor, and was carried as a small child on her mother's back, much to Earwens dislike, at the crossing of the Helcaraxe (the grinding ice). For Galadriel would not leave her child in Eldamare while she in Middle-earth. Alaye determined to protect her as such, and fiercely defend his role as her sole protector, to never leave her side, and defend her until the last.

All his musing had made him rather oblivious to his surroundings. Arandwe, the Elf who was taking over for Alaye as lookout, came trotting in to the center of the group.

*********************************** (F)

"I've spotted another scout, I drew him into the forest and slew him, but the army is almost upon us!" Falandir lifted her sword half out of its sheath, it was glowing blue.

"Right, then," said Glorfindel, "we ride!" The elves spurred their horses faster with a word. They rode so for half of an hour. All seemed safe, and then danger struck. A loud, shrieking call immediately brought all the elves to attention. Over the noise Glorfindel shouted

"The Orcs are aware of us!" "Nor!" They started to gallop, some of the lesser horses spooked by the Orcish battle cry of "Golug, Golug!" the Orcs' word for the Noldor. The army, about three score as Falandir could make it out, topped the hill from behind, hundreds of yards behind them. The ground shook, and something came over the hill that made Falandir's heart sink. There was a troll. The ground continued to shake; dirt flew as the Elven horses sped across it. The troll stood 14 feet high, with black plate armor on its legs and chest. Sauron must have gotten word of the young Noldo's journey, and sent an army after them. Before the troll ran scores of Orcs, gnashing their teeth and brandishing scimitars, broken and black. These took split seconds to notice, and then came the arrows. One whizzed past Ellethae's head as she rode, she swerved her horse to avoid another from the left, Glorfindel swung his shield behind him, two arrows sticking in it.

********************** (A) Nor=Run

Alaye flattened to his horse, holding Falandir's shield behind her. The pace of the horses widened the ground between them and the on-rushing army, but another rain of arrows came from the right. Orcs running have a pretty wild shot, and these did so to keep within distance of the horses. Suddenly they stopped firing, and the company saw why. Two outriders of the army came up on either side of the galloping horses, they were warg riders. Alaye pulled back his bow until it almost touched Falandir, and brought down the warg on the left. The enraged rider leapt at Enwe's horse, scimitar upraised.

********************** (F)

It stopped rigidly in midair, and then fell backwards, another of Alaye's arrows sticking in its heart. On Falandir's other side, a warg and rider fell, two of Glorfindel's arrows having done their work. The arrows began to come again from the right, this time thicker. These Orcs were trained archers, they seldom missed, and they had now stopped to aim. The Elves raised their shields against the on-slaught of arrows, but the horses were very much in danger. A shrill cry rent the air, and Arandwe's horse went down. It rolled, but Arandwe leapt to his feet and began to run, the others, shields still raised, looked back in horror, they slowed slightly, and Arandwe started to catch up, but so did the army. The Elf ran harder, and dove for Enwe's saddle, catching part of the stirrup. Enwe turned and reached for Arandwe's outstretched hand, but it was too late. Arandwe fell back with a cry, letting go of the saddle. He was pierced by two arrows from the charging Orcs behind.

"No!" Enwe yelled, looking back horrified at the loss of his friend. Falandir looked to the sky for hope, her eyes pleading,

"Eru, help us." she whispered. She knew what she had to do; her heart was pounding in her ears. She turned her horse, _and charged._

_ "For Finrod!" she raised her glowing sword, light reflecting off it._

She was immediately engulfed by roaring Orcs; she swung her blue flaming sword to one side, then the other. Orcs lost their heads, legs and arms, and yet more came, overwhelming Falandir in a dark rush of creatures. Suddenly, the Orcs separated, the troll roared and crashed forward to meet the Elf. It swung its mace, but Foralaye was too quick. She dodged him again and again, but the Orcs closed in, and Falandir was caught. She looked up into the raging eyes of the troll, meeting its glance. It raised its mace with the slightest difficulty, striving against the will of the Noldo before him. Suddenly, the Orcs gave way and stepped back, but the troll did not. Falandir then saw what had dissuaded the Orcs. _ Galloping hooves, a battle cry. The troll swung, and missed, for Falandir had swerved just in time. The outraged troll was met with the oncoming spear of her rescuer._

***************************** (G)

Glorfindel had called to her, but she didn't heed him. He would have followed, but suddenly the source of the arrows showed itself, half a score of Orcs rushed out of the trees to keep them from coming to Ellethae's aid, Alaye broke free and charged to her rescue, his hickory spear raised to the immense troll. Enwe shot down the archers among the Orcs charging them, while Glorfindel felled the Orcs bereft of bows. They slew the ten assailing them with little injury, and then charged into the battle to help the two fiercely battling the troll. The Orcs were dismayed at the quick arrival of Glorfindel, and they drew back slightly, the troll, enraged by the spear that Alaye had driven into his stomach minutes before, swung its giant mace wildly. Its intent seemed to be the Elf prince that was now so powerfully advancing upon his ranks. The troll swung again, Glorfindel veered his horse sharply, knocking into Enwe, he raised his shield and caught the edge of the mace as it rounded. His arm seemed to be in pain, but it would have been much worse without Alaye. He had raised his spear and braced it against the heavy blow, knowing that it would hit Glorfindel. Breaking the spear, the handle of the weapon bore down...it hit him in the head very hard, and he would have fallen from his horse,* but Falandir reached out and caught him, steadying his unconscious form onto his horse. He was bleeding.* Glorfindel had sprained his arm, putting him at a great disadvantage, but with his good arm, he still wielded his sword, Orcrist, powerfully. Glorfindel and Falandir had powerful swords, much feared by Orcs, they were made by smiths of Gondolin, for that was where Glorfindel lived.

*********************************** (F)

Aside from her sword, Falandir had a long beautiful dagger. Its name was Arrah, which in Elvish meant "The Sting." It was very dangerous to the kind of Ungoliant. Unsheathing it, she drove her horse low and stabbed at the troll's thigh, resulting in sticking it there.

************************************ (Author)

Some of you would think what Falandir did to be foolish, charging without the help of her company, others would think it brave. But I will leave that decision up to you . As we watch the Elves fight, we realize that the Orcs have the upper hand. Alaye still slumps, unconscious, and Falandir appears to do the same. Glorfindel stands before them, defending them from the crowd of Enemies. His arm hurts more with every blow he deals, but he fights on, determined to protect his love. The Troll cannot be stopped; he has wounded already Taran and Enwe. We see that there is not much hope now, and if help does not come, their fate is sealed. Suddenly, we see Geldir's horse stumble, one of its legs collapsing under it. His leg is pinned to the ground, and he cries out for help as he sinks steadily, trying to fight off the beasts attacking him. Geldir is now in the midst of the Orcs, trapped under the collapsing horse. Glorfindel now has a choice; to let Geldir die, or to leave Falandir defenseless. What will he do?

Authors often change scenes, or stop, at what seems to be the best part, but that is to keep you interested. We move now to a hill called Amon Ethir, or the spy hill, as some call it, where Elves of the kingdom of Nargothrond stand watch. Oh yes, we cannot see them, but yet they stand, keeping ceaseless vigil. Deyan looks up as a rider comes in, "man neitha?" he asks.

"Look!" says the rider, motioning toward the plain below them. "There is a battle going on down there!"

Deyan had seen a flash of light below earlier, as of a sword being drawn, but had mistaken it for the sun on some lost item below.

"I shall alert Celegorm, go now to your post."

********************************** (F) man neitha =what's wrong

Falandir began to stir. Lifting her head, she swung her sword once again, then surveyed the situation while steadying the still unconscious Alaye. What she saw made her despair, almost, Glorfindel painfully making his way toward the still sinking Geldir, leaving the path to Alaye wide open. Falandir pulled her horse in front of Alaye's, pushing back the Orcs who were readily advancing toward their target. A sound came to her ears, in the middle of raging Orcs, _a bow twanged behind them. _ She thought that it would be reinforcements for the enemy, but when she looked up the troll reeled with an arrow embedded in his eye. More bows twanged, Orcs fell, and the troll reeled again. _Someone had come to their rescue. _Elves of Nargothrond had seen the battle from afar, standing hidden in the mist covering the Talath Dirnen, the guarded plain. Celegorm gathered a small army, and his archers now topped the hill between them and the despairing Noldor. Half a score of cavalry led by Celegorm charged down the hill, while the archers stayed in their positions. The Orcs shrieked and began to run at his cry of "An Feanor!" but they were not nearly fast enough, being ridden down and slain by Celegorms forces.

They drove the Orcs from the wounded elves, the son of Feanor facing on the troll. Glorfindel and Taran joined the hunt, Falandir stayed back to help the wounded. Geldir was badly hurt; he fell off his horse to the ground. Enwe jumped down from his own weary horse, checking its legs and then moving on to Geldir's horse. Falandir sheathed her sword and dismounted. She patted Alaye's horse on the way past, he was still unconscious. She knelt beside Geldir where he had fallen, examining him for injury. One of his legs was broken from where the horse had fallen on it; his arm was bleeding as well as his head. She healed him as best she could, bandaging him and helping him onto his recovering horse. Foralaye had been standing over Arandwe's body ever since the battle started, keeping him from the Orc's reach. Falandir felt for a pulse, nothing. Enwe knelt beside him, his face saddening. Together they lifted him onto Enwe's horse . She then went on to bandage Alaye's head, hoping he would awaken, but he did not. Falandir's wounds were not fatal, and she joined the closing battle, having attended to the wounded. More Orcs came out of the forest, though it did the army no avail. The troll fell under Celegorm's sword; he had lost one Elf to it in the trolls' dying madness. His golden hair blew in the wind as he fought; he was a fair elven lord, for he was a son of Feanor. They slew the rest of the Orcs, and no word of the unsuccessful battle came to Morgoth's ears . Glorfindel's company was then escorted to Nargothrond by Celegorm.

***************************************** (A)

Alaye Lathdol woke to a throbbing headache. He blinked, and sat up. Glancing around, he met the smiling eyes of Falandir. He blushed.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked.

Falandir shrugged. "A day or so I suppose," she smiled. Another Elf-maiden stepped out from behind her, and Alaye was momentarily stunned by her beauty.

She laughed, "You had me waiting awhile to meet you!" His face reddened.

"This is my cousin Finduilas," Falandir explained, "I told her of everything that happened and she wanted to meet you, so she was waiting with me here for you to wake up." Finduilas nodded and smiled again, putting Alaye in a rather uncomfortable position.

"I...uh...am honored...my lady," he stammered. Finduilas giggled.

"I came to see if you were well enough to go to the Dinner," Falandir said. He looked at her, "Where's-"

She cut him off, "You missed Arandwe's funeral." Her eyes saddened.

"Oh," he said quietly, not sure what to say. Arandwe had been his friend, and his death greatly saddened him.

"Geldir and the other Elves are well recovered, and will be attending." Falandir added to further answer his question.

"I will come," he replied

"Oh good!" Finduilas said excitedly, "I'll get the clothes!"

"Clothes?" Alaye said, raising his eyebrows.

"It's a special dinner, honoring Finrod and celebrating our arrival," Falandir explained. "Your old clothes were...well...rather...disposed of," she said reluctantly. Alaye looked alarmed, and she laughed.

The Dinner was held in the main hall of Nargothrond, with a large table in the middle, at which they were all seated. Orodreth sat at the head of the table, with Celegorm and Curufin on his right and left. Glorfindel sat in the seat second down, his wounded arm now in a cast. On the other side sat the Queen, with Finduilas and Falandir on her right and left. Finduilas giggled, elbowing Falandir and pointing to where Glorfindel sat, frustratedly trying to eat with one hand, his other in a cast. The Elves kept up a lively chatter, and minstrels played in the hall.

The Company had arrived just in time, for at the loss of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Nargothrond had closed its doors, to all but the kin of their Lord.

THE END

For now...

**Authors note: does anyone want me to write more? I have some ideas but I'm not sure if I should do it. corrections on this story would be great. fell free to comment. -edhelnedinoldor (Raurenkili)**


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